Erkan's field diary

Olli Rehn: Our relations with Ankara are schizophrenic

Olli Rehn, the EU Commissioner for Expansion, has characterized EU relations with Ankara as "schizophrenic" in an interview with the French newspaper Liberation. While asserting that he was against the freezing of talks with Ankara, Rehn did underscore some of the difficulties in Turkey's quest for EU accession, pointing to issues such as freedom of expression and freedom of religion as being areas where reforms had to continue. Rehn did also stress the need for "fairness" towards Turkey from the EU, saying "The union must come through on its promises."

Mud, carried by flash floods, surround the houses in Turkey's southeastern city of Diyarbakir's Cinar district, November 1, 2006. Flash floods caused by torrential rainfall have killed 21 people across southeast Turkey, most of them swept away in their vehicles, officials said on Wednesday. TURKEY OUT REUTERS/Ihlas News Agency (TURKEY)

Interview: Visiting Zaman daily’s headquarters just 10 days before the disclosure of the progress report, Graham Watson, leader of the Group of the Alliance of Democrats and Liberals in the European Parliament (EP), gave important messages about Turkey-EU relations. and BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell talks to Armenians in Turkey and asks why a massacre that took place nearly a century ago, and the question whether it was genocide, is such a sensitive issue in Turkey today.

Analysis: EU gives Turkey bad grades By STEFAN NICOLA while Turkey Warns EU of Past Mistakes .

Retired Turkish archaeologist Muazzez Ilmiye Cig waves as she leaves a court in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Nov.AP via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News

In some other significant writings; here is Mustafa Akyol's piece on Islamocapitalism In Office: Turkey's AKP

In the blogosphere, Western Resistance writes on Turkey: Islam, Secularism And A National Identity Crisis; Mark Daniel writes on The Battle for Turkey's Future and Ann Althouse focuses on Trying the 92-year-old academic for writing about the history of the headscarf.....

Posted by erkan at November 2, 2006 04:35 PM | TrackBack
Posted to Armenian Question | Cyprus | EU Summits/Reports